Windows 7 File Slowing Down Office Programs

[hlewton]

The other day I posted that after installing I.E. 11 when I tried opening both Excel and Access 2010 files it took almost 10 seconds to open the files. I thought since I.E. was the only thing different it must have been the cause. I also thought I had the problem beaten; by doing a cold boot it seemed to disappear. That is no longer the case. The problem is back and is consistently there no matter what kind of booting sequence I use.

I have found the problem but have no idea how to correct it. I will post an attachment showing picture of CCleaner’s Registry tool to show you what is happening. I have tested this 5 times before posting and it works consistently every time. The problem is a file named conime.exe as you will see from the attachment. I have checked out the Registry location mentioned and as you will see from the second attachment there is nothing there referring to conime.exe that I can see or recognize. If I allow CCleaner to fix that problem my Excel and Access files open in about a second or two at the most. So it appears to fix the problem. However, it is only fixed until the next time the computer restarts and then this happens all over again.

I have run “SFC /SCANNOW” and it found nothing needing repaired. I ran a complete system Virus and Malware scan and it too found nothing. I did a search in the directory that CCleaner says the software file is missing from and I do not see it there. Its name is located in some Registry locations but I don’t recall the exact ones, not anywhere that should tell it to run. It was advised by a Google search that if it was on the machine to not delete it because it is a system file but supposedly only used if you are using Asian language or something like that.

I don’t want to have to run CCleaner every time I restart the computer so does anyone have any other ideas on how to fix this problem?

Thanks.

Conime.jpg

Registry.jpg

[MalcolmWalker]

May I suggest that if, as reported, a file is missing then replace it. Get a copy of conime.exe and put it in the Windows/System32 folder.

[HansV]

I have Office 2010 and Internet Explorer 11, and I don't have conime.exe anywhere on my computer . There are a few references to it in the registry, in the following keys:

S0375.png

CCleaner doesn't flag these, however.

You might try AutoRuns. You don't have to install this utility - simply download the zip file, unzip it to a folder of your choice, then run Autoruns.exe. It provides an exhausting list of items that "autostart". See if you can find a reference to conime.exe in there.

[viking33]

There seem to be a lot of opinions listed about this filename on the web.
IF you do use an Asian language on your machine, it should be located in the Windows\System32 folder. Anywhere else and it is a Trojan or Worm.
I did a search on my system and there is no mention of this file, since I don't have or use any Asian language enabled.
Check this article out. http://www.file.net/process/conime.exe.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You said: "I did a search in the directory that CCleaner says the software file is missing from and I do not see it there"
Ahem.....If it's missing, you probably would not see it there?

Since it seems to come back on reboot, I would check for any mention of it using the excellent program Autostarts and delete it if you do find anything on listed.

[hlewton]

Thanks for the replies. I believe I have fixed the problem.

I kept digging more and more into it on the WEB and though most of the reading was of little help I did read something that I seem to never think of and that is running msconfig. Not only was I able to tell conime.exe not to try to start there it also directed me to a Registry location key where it was in the "Run" folder mostly the same as CCleaner found with the exception of under WOW6432Node. After unchecking it in msconfig and rebooting it seemed to disappear in that "Run" folder in the Registry which saved me the trouble of trying to decide if I should delete that key or not. I just checked msconfig again and it is still there unchecked so I assume if I were to check it again it would once more appear in the Registry. However, I'm not going to try that. It does appear even though CCleaner did find the problem for me it did not locate the correct Registry folder. Anyway I am hoping it is a solved problem now.

[hlewton]

There seem to be a lot of opinions listed about this filename on the web.
IF you do use an Asian language on your machine, it should be located in the Windows\System32 folder. Anywhere else and it is a Trojan or Worm.
I did a search on my system and there is no mention of this file, since I don't have or use any Asian language enabled.
Check this article out. http://www.file.net/process/conime.exe.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You said: "I did a search in the directory that CCleaner says the software file is missing from and I do not see it there"
Ahem.....If it's missing, you probably would not see it there?

Since it seems to come back on reboot, I would check for any mention of it using the excellent program Autostarts and delete it if you do find anything on listed.

Thanks and I posted before I read this post. I was at that site and read most of it. I can't say for sure but I believe it was at another site that gave me the idea to use msconfig. I sure do not know what is going on but even though the file still appears to be missing it was in that "Run" Registry I mentioned above.

Anyway, again, I hope my problem is solved.

Sorry I should have asked, is that blinking "FREE" supposed to be a link? If so it isn't working for me.

Thanks again.

[HansV]

Great - it's looking good!

[viking33]

Did you do a search for that file name?
If you DO find it, was it in the Windows\System32 folder? Anywhere else and it's a Trojan or Worm.
Do you use any Asian language programs?

That blinking FREE is not a link, it's from the Smiley collection.

[hlewton]

Thanks Bob. Yes I did all that even before my original post. I continued to read about it and if it was found how to render it useless. That is why I posted that I had ran a deep virus and Malware scan. That along with sfc /scannow found nothing wrong. Also searching my computer found no file with that name. The only place it was even mentioned was where Hans found it and that "Run" folder in my Registry that the msconfig aided me in locating.

Thanks again.

[hlewton]

After unchecking it in msconfig and rebooting it seemed to disappear in that "Run" folder in the Registry which saved me the trouble of trying to decide if I should delete that key or not.

I was mistaken and must have missed it because it is still in that "Run" folder in the Registry key. I will again attach a file to show this. It refers to the correct computer folder even though the file does not exist there. I have searched for it using the search function and also manually looking through system32's folder files. Also I did a search of the WEB to see how to delete an entry from the 'msconfig" startup tab and it said to find it in the registry and delete it there but, as usual, warned to be very careful of deleting any Registry key. So since I cannot find conime.exe anywhere on my computer except references to it in the Registry would it be safe to delete if from the key in the attachment?

Thanks.

RegistryKey1.jpg

[HansV]

Yes, you can safely delete that registry entry. Since the file doesn't exist, the entry can only cause problems.

If you do delete it, check whether it returns spontaneously after a reboot.

[hlewton]

OK I will do that. Not sure it will do any good but I think I will create a restore point before doing anything.

[HansV]

Creating a restore point won't hurt, but there is no need for it here - removing a registry entry that refers to a non-existent file can't possibly do any harm.

[hlewton]

Well right now I am very confused. Possibly I should have left well enough alone but that wasn’t the case so I am going to try to outline the steps I just took.

1. I created a Restore point
2. I deleted that Registry key
3. I rebooted
4. The key was not spontaneously recreated so I thought “great I have it made now.”
5. My Excel and Access files once again opened in about 15 seconds. I actually timed them this time.
6. I ran CCleaner and it showed no Registry problems so I had no way to make the Excel and Access files open quickly.
7. I checked msconfig and conime.exe was still unchecked.
8. I ran the Restore
9. The Registry key was there once more and my files still opened slowly.
10. I ran CCleaner, found the same Registry error, corrected it, and my files opened quickly again.
11. I ran msconfig and placed a check mark beside conime.exe to make it try to run as did yesterday so I could get back to square one and fix the problem again.
12. I rebooted, the files opened slowly, I checked the Registry and conime.exe was gone.
13. I ran CCleaner again and once more found and fixed the Registry problem, the files opened quickly once more.
14. I ran msconfig again but there was no entry for conime.exe so I could not uncheck it.
15. I turned the computer off and left it that way for about 2 munites.
16. I rebooted and at this time my files are opening quickly, neither msconfig or the Registry show conime.exe, CCleaner finds no Registry problem.


At the moment, as I said, it is working as it should be but I have no idea what will happen on the next reboot.

[HansV]

Let us know what happens next time you reboot...

[hlewton]

Yes I will but I'm not planning on doing that until hopefully tomorrow. I'm getting very leery of all these things that are happening and can't seem to find reasons for them.

Thanks.

[HansV]

There's no hurry!

[viking33]

I think you are relying on msconfig too much. Also, CCleaner is a GOOD tool but it doesn't go far enough to get the really deep down buried stuff.
MSConfig is a troubleshooting tool. The main function of MSConfig is to temporarily disable or re-enable software, device drivers or Windows services that run during start up process to help user decide the cause of problem. It is not meant to be a start up management program.

I mentioned "Autoruns" previously as a more complete look into all start up entries in the registry. You can disable or delete anything that is listed after a scan is done. Recommended way is to first disable an entry by unchecking a box. Then when sure it is OK, going back and deleting it.

Check out this article and tutorial on using Autoruns. There is a download link about a third of the way down the page. As mentioned, it's FREE.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windo ... -autoruns/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HansV]

I mentioned AutoRuns too. It is a very powerful tool, but because of its comprehensiveness, it can be intimidating.

CCleaner can disable or delete startup items too: click Tools, then Startup.

S0377.png

When you select an item, the Disable and Delete buttons on the right hand side (not visible in the screenshot) will become active.

[hlewton]

Well when I first booted the computer today it worked fine. I decided to check both the Registry and “msconfig” to see if conime.exe had magically reappeared and it was there in both programs. I tried unchecking it in “msconfig” and it would not allow me to do so for some reason. When I hit “Apply” it put a check mark back beside conime.exe.

I rebooted anyway and again my programs opened very slowly but once more after running CCleaner they ran fine. I tried clearing out all temp files by running a program called TFC.exe and then rebooted again. At the present time conime.exe does not appear in either the Registry or “msconfig” but still the programs open slowly. Once more CCleaner fixed that problem. So I seem to be back at square one not knowing what will occur the next time I have to reboot.

I did notice one strange thing that happened after the reboot following the of running TFC, always before when I typed “msconfig” or “regedit” in the Start, search box it came up with either “msconfig.exe” or “regedit.exe” but now the “.exe” extension is missing when I type those programs. I have no idea how to get the “.exe” to reappear.

I just saw the above post so I will check out CCleaner to see what it says is starting.

Thanks